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Lyon, Marsh picked in Aussie ODI squad

Steve Larkin

Spinner Nathan Lyon has been gifted a World Cup audition with Australian selectors hoping short-form cricket doesn't ruin his Test career.

Lyon, quick Kane Richardson and allrounder Mitch Marsh are among a 14-man squad, but batsman Phil Hughes missed out on the tour of Zimbabwe later this month.

Tweaker Lyon has played just two ODIs, the last in March 2012, in a ploy from selectors to preserve his attacking Test weapons.

"We were afraid that putting him in too much one-day cricket could destroy his confidence as a young spinner," chairman of selectors Rod Marsh told reporters in Adelaide on Monday.

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"We wanted to give him a really good run at Test cricket and make sure that we didn't get him bowling flat darts in one-day cricket, and then not being able to get people out in Test match cricket.

"He has proven he can get people out in Test match cricket. We're hoping now that he can get people out in one-day cricket."

Marsh admitted unease at overlooking run-glutton Hughes, who is dominating for Australia A in Darwin against South African and Indian second-stringers.

"We agonised over that because we want to reward blokes that do well," he said.

"We pick an Australia A side, the kid (Hughes) gets 100, 200, and two fifties. In between that, his grandfather dies. And he still doesn't get picked - that is really tough love.

"But the love is that we do have him in our notebook. We all know he's a good player. His time will come."

Mitch Marsh's rapid bowling, rather than his batting, won his selection for four one-dayers from August 25 - two each against Zimbabwe and South Africa - and a possible final.

And if the West Australian can retain his pace, a World Cup is in the offing.

"If he can maintain that, it gives him a new dimension as a cricketer because we all know how he can bat," Rod Marsh said.

"If he can hold down a spot as a bowler, that is going to make him a mighty fine player."

South Australian Kane Richardson is also in the World Cup frame, with the speedster overcoming a running on the pitch problem which led to him being banned from further bowling in his sole ODI in January last year.

"I can promise you, the only reason he hasn't played is because of the problem he had running on the pitch," Marsh said of Richardson.

"Now he seems to have sorted that. He is right up there, no guarantees ... but if he stays strong and fit he has got a head start."

Batsman David Warner will miss the tour to remain with his pregnant fiancee Candice Falzon, who is due to give birth in September.